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Courtesy of the National Aquaculture Association:

The Internet is becoming increasingly important as an inexpensive marketing tool, but many U.S. fish farmers are hesitant to use electronic media.  The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) and the United Soybean Board are offering an intensive four hour workshop, “Using the Internet to Grow Aquaculture Sales”.  The workshop will provide fish and shellfish producers with the knowledge and skills to use electronic media to showcase their products more successfully, grow their businesses, and help shape the public perception of aquaculture.  An Internet presence is important for all sectors of the aquaculture industry including food fish and shellfish, baitfish, feed producers, sportfish, aquatic plants, and equipment suppliers.

The major portion of the workshop will be devoted to the development of individual websites.  A website is one way to reach new buyers at either minimal or no cost.  Producers will be asked to preregister for the program, will need to complete a pre-workshop form that will provide the information for inclusion on their websites, and bring a laptop computer to the workshop. The NAA will provide some boiler plate information that can be added such as recipes, safe handling, etc.   Experts will be on hand to help growers in easy to understand click by click construction.

Other social media tools such as Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook will be explored.  Times are changing and there are new strategies.  Facebook makes it easy to post new information photos and events.  Twitter is a way to remind your customers and future customers about your products.  Linkedin helps you grow your identity.   These strategies are out there and they are free!

Four workshops will be offered in 2014.   Each workshop will be offered in conjunction with a local sponsor.  We urge Extension Agents, Sea Grant Specialists, State Aquaculture Coordinators, and producer organizations to consider sponsoring a workshop in their area.  Workshops may be held in conjunction with other activities such as conferences and meetings provided they are presented in their entirety and in the original format and sequencing.   The local sponsor is responsible for securing a meeting room that has a good WI-FI connection, advertising and promoting the workshop, handling all registration tasks, providing any refreshments that may be served and providing a printed contact list for all participants.  The National Aquaculture Association will provide speakers, all program materials, and assist in promoting the program.

For further information contact: Linda@thenaa.net   914-330-7678